A friend of mine and young mother, Piper, shared this on FaceBook and I had to share it here...
"I took my daughter, Addison to McDonald's today and let her get a soda...I know, it's not good for her, but she was really good today and I just couldn't help it; she's my sweetheart.
Later this afternoon we were driving home and she was whining about something. I finally had to say in a stern voice, 'Addison, that's enough! No more whining!'
Shortly after, she was still whining a bit and I decided I needed a Starbucks. She wanted a steamer, I knew I shouldn't get her one, she'd already had a soda AND she was being naughty....but I got her one anyway...I couldn't help it, she's my sweetheart.
As we pulled away, with her steamer in hand, she whispered, 'Mommy look!' I turned to see what she was pointing toward and there was the horizon with the sun beginning to set.
Smiling she simply said, 'See Jesus painted me pink clouds today.'
Right then I heard Him whisper, 'I couldn't help it, she's my sweetheart.'" Piper K.
"HONOLULU — The best bargain at the Salvation Army thrift store in Kailua-Kona was a Richard Simmons videotape. But Mikela Mercier, 11, decided to pass up the chance to buy the tape for a few coins after she found a surprise inside: $1,000 in $100 bills."
This is GREAT! Mikela finds the money in the video at the Salvation Army store and goes to tell mom that she needs to turn it in. Mom concurred because it belonged to the Salvation Army--therefore should be returned to them.
I am sure Mikela and her mom could have used that $1,000 (who couldn't?) but they did the right thing--no thought to themselves or their need. Jitter cats, THAT is what CHARACTERis all about. You do the right thing because it's the right thing.
Mikela is obviously a great kid and she deserves props, pats and claps. "Mikela, you totally rock, dudette!" She is a credit to her mother--who has a lot of class too.
Man, I didn't think this kind of stuff happened anymore! I thought it went out of style in our culture along with other archaic things like...honesty, consideration and character qualities, like:
* being nice to people.
* men giving up their seats on buses and subways for women or the elderly (yeah ladies--don't count on that one)
* people not cursing around the children (forget that--when daddy gets %$#^% MAD he wants everyone to $&@!#!#%#@ KNOW it!!!!!)
Well this just goes to show that honesty, consideration and character in general, NEVER go out of style.
In COMMENTS below, tell what you do to instill character and virtues like honesty in your kids.
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It was 1969, and I was six when my grandfather died. He was a stoic, dapper German gentleman, a banker whose greatest claim to "fame" (I learned years later) was that he was entrusted with helping teach the young Rockefeller boys about banking.
I remember he taught me how to play checkers--and I felt a connection with him over that. (I knew he enjoyed it, and he seemed happy and approving of me when we played).
I visited grandpa with my dad one night. Dad told me only that grandpa was very sick, but everyone seemed so sad and quiet...I knew this was different. I knew to say "I love you grandpa." My father spent some time with him as I stood outside. On the way home I asked my dad questions, to which he finally answered "Grandpa is going to die." He didn't seem to want to talk after that.
Die.
All I knew was that when you died, you were very still, like sleep, and you never moved again, and you never woke up. And I knew you went to heaven (so why did they bury people--and why had my dead guinea pig that I'd buried not gone to heaven--it was there when I dug it back up a few days later?)
That night I was very sad, but decided that my parents would never die and I would be with them forever and I was able to sleep. The next day, I wasn't so sure, so I had this conversation with my mom.
"Mommy, you and daddy will never die, right?" "Everyone dies Jimmy. Your dad and I will both die some day."
I began to cry. "But I don't want you to die." "Well, you don't worry Jimmy. It will be a LONG time before we die. a LONG. long time." I tried to make her promise she would never die. I remember it made me angry that she wouldn't. Tears filled her eyes. She kissed me and gave me a long hug. This brought me comfort--as only a mother's hug can do.
(Thankfully I didn't know anyone who lost their mother or father at a young age. I don't know WHAT I would have done!)
Flash to today...Mom had heart surgery this morning
Last night my son and I traveled to see mom. We were there to be with her, and to pray for her. She was scheduled for heart surgery Thursday (this morning) after a heart catheterization Tuesday turned up some "leaky valves" they wanted to fix right away.
As my son talked with his grandma, I remembered my heart-to-heart nearly 40 years ago... "Everyone dies Jimmy. Your dad and I will both die some day." I wondered if this was it, though I didn't dare speak it. I couldn't bear to think it. That fear, long postponed, rushed in, with a flood of memories.
As we prayed together, my love for my mom just poured out as I thanked God for her, for her love, for the amazing gift of God she is to me and to my son. I thanked God for her love. I've never met a kinder, more caring and loving person than mom. I asked God to allow His love to live on and keep on flowing through her.
What a strange thing that such a loving woman would need a heart operation.
And, even at 70, she has the voice of an angel (she is even in a band, "Mustang Sally and the Hamjo's"). One of my favorite memories as a child was falling asleep as she sang.
Update... Mom's heart surgery went very well...and she is in recovery. Her heart will go on, as will her love.
As I paused to thank God for seeing mom through, I was struck by a soul-felt determination that her love will live on through me.
Life is short dear friends. Cherish every moment. Life is about people. (And yes, God, of course.) But loving people--that's it. We are gifts to one another...for a season. Let's make the most of that season. Let our lives be filled with love for others.
I hope you'll enjoy this song, "Didn't I Dance?", sung by my mother with her band, not long ago. I imagine this song to mean more than simply dancing in and of itself. I think of it as our dancing the dance of life...to the rhythm of love:
InCOMMENTSbelow, please honor your mother, father--or anyone you know who has shown you amazing love!
Jim Kochenburger is a speaker and published author of parenting books. He has also helped develop parenting resources for publishers. He is a husband of one wife, father of two children, writer of four blogs. Google him to find out more (under Jim or James). Thanks for reading his blogs. Please leave a comment if you enjoy a post!
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A friend of mine and young mother, Piper, shared this on FaceBook and I had to share it here...
